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I felt reluctant to commit to a long term stay here.

Submitted entry: As we thought we’re extremely busy and I almost feel guilty for taking the 1/2 to 1 hour it takes to write an entry as it could be used to make money for our trip to Florida. At least now we’re working in the positive. As of yesterday we paid back the advance my company gave me and did 2 more hours of paying work. If I can do four hours every day for the next four days or so we’ll be able to afford to go to Florida. If not we’ll have to figure something else out.

Web work, as expected has been steady during this time too. We’ve got two new sites to design, are nearly finished with some additions and changes to Teeter Creek Herbs and just uploaded updates to Whole Heart Publications among other things. This week is the closest we’ve come to having a “real” work schedule though we’re always flexible as to when we start and finish so we’re not punching a clock or anything. And we’re still hanging out with Paul. Yesterday was a great example. A friend of ours was getting the new house she’s moving into ready for the big move-in, moving stuff, cleaning, etc. So we had a playgroup there. She cleaned off and on, and Sage and I worked off and on and there was always at least one person available to play with the kids. During that time Sage got about an hour of work done, I got four hours done and many things were moved and cleaned in the house. It was really interesting too because the kids really got it. They respected the working ones and let them work or helped as best they could and were happy to play with the available parent(s). We had such a good time.

And despite working a lot we also went to East Wind on Sunday and had a ball hanging out with our friends and meeting the new kids that are there. This Sunday promises to be even more fun as there are even more kids visiting. I had such a good time - a good portion of the time Taleisin and I hung out with Paul and two other toddlers, visiting the garden and munching on fresh tomatoes, visiting the baby chicks. As usual it was a wonderful time.

And on Friday we went to visit a potential client who later this week became a definite client. We’re looking forward to doing the new site for them and it should be interesting. But the unique thing about this trip was that Sage and I went alone - Paul stayed with Kitey for the day - all told, 9 hours (it was about 2 hours away). He did great and we did too. We did great on more than one level too as we figured out something that we’d been trying to work out for a while.

See, everyone on the land here had a meeting and we were asked if we were planning on staying for a long term time. Given our past, looking for land and talking about moving to a community or other land left people unclear as to what we’re planning on. So anyway, we didn’t have to answer and we didn’t.

I felt reluctant to commit to a long term stay here as of course I don’t like the summers here and would rather live in New England. Sage and Paul, though, definitely benefit from living near Kitey who prefers to live here.

So on Friday Sage and I talked it over on the trip up to our meeting and I think we figured out a solution.

Our plan now is to stay here long-term. Not necessarily for life or anything but not leave next year. Well, except in the summers. The tick, chigger, and mosquito filled hot and humid miserable nothing worse than a Missouri (Misery?) summer.

Where will we go in the summers? Who knows? Though Vermont is a very likely choice. The plan would be to get a yurt sitter for the three months we’re gone - someone to feed the cats and hang out with them and all. Then we’d drive north for three months, find a cheap (as in $350/month or less) place to stay - possibly a hunting camp or whatever. Those of you reading this journal for a while know that we’re not in need of a great number of amenities. By summer we’ll have bought solar panels and will be able to power the computer by them so we’d only need to figure out a net connection and a way to get mail. At that point we’ll have our office completely mobile. So our idea is to find somewhere cheap to live with cool summers (as in not often in the 90’s). Vermont comes to mind, as does New Hampshire, Maine, upstate New York, Canada and possibly northern Michigan, Minnesota or the like. As I said it could be a hunting camp, apartment sublet in a cool college town, house in the country, caretaking arrangement, and probably other ideas I haven’t yet thought of. Anyone here who has any ideas is encouraged to pass them on.

Today’s plan is to help our friend move some more (as soon as Paul wakes up) and then head out for the Library Center again. I’m making some chickpeas and rice to take along for the ride (we’ve been so good about not eating out lately!) And so I’m off to do that.

When it rains, it pours.

It’s been 15 years since I’ve seen her, after all.